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Scenes from the Hart, Russell buildings

Carney: Obama briefed on suspicious letter

Ricin-laden letter sent to Senator

According to the FBI, a letter addressed to the White House containing a “granular substance” that preliminarily tested positive for ricin was intercepted at an off-site facility. The letter was “was immediately quarantined by U.S. Secret Service personnel, and a coordinated investigation with the FBI was initiated.”

The AP and CNN reported Wednesday that the letters sent to Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) were the same: “To see a wrong is not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance. I am KC and I approve this message.”

Obama was briefed Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning on the letters, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.

The Secret Service is working with the Capitol Police and the FBI to investigate the letter sent to the president.

The FBI said that field and preliminary tests can “produce inconsistent results.”

“Only a full analysis performed at an accredited laboratory can determine the presence of a biological agent such as ricin. Those tests are currently being conducted and generally take 24 to 48 hours.”

There is no indication of a connection between the ricin letters and the Boston Marathon attack Monday, the FBI said, but nerves were frayed on Capitol Hill as officers on Wednesday morning closed off parts of two Senate office buildings to test suspicious envelopes delivered to the offices of Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).